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FEMA denies request for reimbursements on private roads in Chatham County

Updated: 6:43 PM EDT Nov 3, 2016

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FEMA denies request for reimbursements on private roads in Chatham County

Updated: 6:43 PM EDT Nov 3, 2016

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FEMA denies request for reimbursements on private roads in Chatham County

Updated: 6:43 PM EDT Nov 3, 2016

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Chatham County, GA —

FEMA sent a notice to Chatham County on Monday, informing them that FEMA would not reimburse the county for costs associated with debris removal in private communities.

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A decision that left local leaders stunned.

“We’re disappointed,” said County Commissioner Pat Farrell.

Farrell, Commissioner Helen Stone, County Manager Lee Smith, and State Representative Jesse Petrea held a press conference Tuesday in the Landings, a private community in unincorporated Chatham County.

Among a pile of debris as big as a mobile home, they discussed frustration with FEMA.

County Manager Smith said FEMA’s reasoning for not paying for pickup was due to the volume of debris in the 20-plus gated communities.

“But we believe their estimates are severely, severely minimized,” said Smith.

Commissioner Farrell said FEMA also failed to understand the legal and financial responsibilities the county has to the private neighborhoods.

“There’s a long precedent in this county for treating all those communities equally,” he said.

Commissioner Helen Stone said residents in the gated neighborhoods pay local taxes to Chatham County, and should get the same amount of assistance from FEMA.

“And I believe that they should be treated accordingly and treated differently because of the fact that they live behind a gate,” said Stone.

The county, along with the state are appealing the FEMA decision. Smith said another pressing issue is the amount of mosquitos brought on by the piles of debris in the gated areas. Making removal a public health necessity.

Smith said the county is working on getting the debris picked up in all of unincorporated Chatham County, despite the denial from FEMA.

He cautioned that residents need to be patient while crews move throughout the county.

WEBVTT
3
SOME CHATHAM COUNTY
NEIGHBORS ARE "STUNNED" OVER A
PERCEIVED LACK OF SUPPORT...AT
LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO THE
PILES AND PILES OF DEBRIS.
FEMA SAYS IT WILL áNOT HELP
WITH THE MOUNDS LEFT ON
áPRIVATE ROADS. THAT
INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE
THE LANDINGS. THAT'S WHERE
WE FIND WJCL'S CARLIE MCGUIRE
WHO HAS MORE ON HOW LOCAL
LEADERS ARE TAKING ACTION.
3
3
THIS PILE BEHIND ME REFLECTS
ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE
DEBRIS LEFT BEHIND BY
HURRICANE MATTHEW IN THESE
PRIVATE COMMUNITIES. STATE
AND COUNTY LEADERS SAY NO
MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH FEMA,
THEY'RE COMMITTED TO GETTING
IT OUT OF THE COMMUNITY.
GEORGIA REPRESENTATIVE JESSE
PEATREA, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
HELEN STONE AND PAT FARRELL
AND COUNTY MANAGER LEE SMITH
WERE ALL HERE TODAY, AND SAID
THEY WERE SHOCKED BY THE FEMA
DECISION NOT TO HELP THE
PRIVATE COMMUNITIES WITH
DEBRIS REMOVAL.THEY DON'T
BELIEVE FEMA ASSESSOR
ACCURATELY REPORTED THE AMOUNT
OF DEBRIS IN THE 20-PLUS GATED
COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTY, AND
EVEN THOUGH THESE PRIVATE
COMMUNITIES, THE COUNTY HAS A
LEGAL AND FINANCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO THESE
RESIDENTS.)LEE SMITH/"WE'RE
GONNA HAVE TO PICK UP IN THESE
COMMUNITIES, THESE ARE TAX
PAYERS THEY PAY THE SAME FEES
AS EVERYONE ELSE, SO WE'VE GOT
TO DO THAT.IT'S A PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUE IT'S A PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUE."COUNTY MANAGER
LEE SMITH SAYS THE AMOUNT OF
DEBRIS IS ALSO CAUSING AN
ISSUE WITH MOSQUITOS, MAKING
REMOVAL NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH REASONS.HE SAYS THE
COUNTY AND STATE WILL BE
APPEALING FEMA'S DECISION IN
THE NEXT 6 DAYS.HE DOESN'T
KNOW WHEN THEY'LL GET A
RESPONSE.IN SAVANNAH CARLIE
MCGUIRE WJCL 22 NEWS.